Detachable mounting for solenoid coil



July 26, 1960 J. w. KovAcH 2,946,551

OETAOHABLE MOUNTING FOR SOLENOID COIL Filed June 5, 1957 INVEN TORJUL/U5 W/LL/AM Ko VAC/4 5M/ mwf/y IW/MWI Unite Julius William Kovach,Detroit, Mich., assignor to American Radiator & Standard SanitaryCorporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 3,1957, Ser. No. 663,064

4 Claims. (Cl. 251-30) This invention relates to a structure fordetachably mounting solenoid coils. The invention may be employed in themounting of solenoid coils on water mixing valves in automatic clotheswashing machines.

Objects of the invention `are to provide a mounting structure forsolenoid coils, wherein:

(l) The coil may be easily and quickly removed in the leld for repair orreplacement purposes without the aid of a screw driver, pliers or othersimilar tool, and withoutrremoving any screws or other extraneousstructure, and

(2) The coil may be mounted in any one of several adjusted positions inaccordance with the exterior wiring harness arrangement andconstruction, whereby to conserve on wiring and enable easy manualpositionment of the wiring onto the solenoid terminals without anyStates Patent spring 16 forces yarmature 14 down in tubularguide17 untilit closes centralopening 18 in diaphragm 12. The diaphragm is providedwith a bleed opening19, and when central opening 18 is closed by`armature 14 the fluid from chamber 7 flows through opening 19 anddevelops a downward pressure on surface 20 of the diaphragm. Thisdownward pressure forces the diaphragm toward surface 9 so as to closepassage 8 to the fluid in chamber 7. When coil is energized armature14.is withdrawn to its illustrated position so as to relieve the iluidpressure above diaphragm 12 through opening 18 and thereby enable theincoming fluid pressure to open the diaphragm. In practice, housing 5maybe provided with two, three or more solenoidsY and diaphragms'inaccordance with the desired number of mixed water temperatures and iluidstreams to be handled by the valve housing.

The valve housing is provided with one or more mounting brackets 21 forsecuring the housing in place in the washing Ymachine (or other locationwhere the valve might be employed). Bracket 21 includes a flat annularwall portion 22 which ts against flat exterior face 23 of the housing so`as to overlie peripheral flange 24 of guide member 17. A plate25 ofspring steel overlies wall portion 22,4 and headed screws'26 extendthrough undesired twisting of the wiring or interference of the wiringwith other structure located in close clearance areas.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. .1 is a sectional view on iline 1--1 inFig. 2, illustrating oneembodiment of the invention. Y Y Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the Fig. lconstruction.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 33 in Fig. 2.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in Y Also, it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthepurpose of description and not of limitation.

In the drawings there is shown part of a valve housing.5 which isutilized to mix hot and cold water prior to entry thereof into the tubof an automatic clothes washing machine. Housing 5 is provided with aninlet 6 for hot water which leads to an annular inlet chamber 7.Concentrically located within chamber 7 is a passage 8 which cooperateswith chamber 7 to dene an annular valve surface 9. Housing 5 is providedwith an annular groove 10 which receives the edge portion 11 of a rubberdiaphragm 12.

In its Fig. l position diaphragm 12 has its surface 13 located-away fromvalvesurface 9 so as to permit flow of hotiluid'fromannular chamber 7into central paslsage 8'.` Inorder to close passage 8 to the uid inchamher7ydiaphragn1iw12,iscausedtohiiex so as to Y put'surface 13 inpressure engagement with annular valve surface 9.

Flexing of diaphragm 12 is accomplished by meansA of an amature 14 whichis operated by a solenoid coil 15 Aare integrally formed with member 29and extend right angu-larly therefrom so as to lie flat against plate25.

Plate 25 is slitV through at three circumferentially spaced pointsto'provide three fingers 34, 35 and 36. Each finger includes a webportion 37 extending angularly from plate 25 andthen parallel thereto asat 38. The extreme outer end of portion 38 is deformed into a generallyconical configuration so as to form a detent portion 39 which is adaptedto enter into a'circular opening' 40 formed in the adjacent ear (31, 32or 33).

In assembling'coil 15 and housing 29 Onto valve housing 5 member 29 ispositioned with its'edge 30 against the exposedface of plate 25 and withears 31 through 33 between screws 26 `and the various spring fingers 34through 36.'V Then housing 29 is manually turned in a counterclockwisedirection (as viewed in Fig. 2)' so as to move ears 31, 32 and 33against the inclined surfaces 41 formed by conical portions 39. Thespring lingers are thereby cammed upwardly so as to permit furthercounterclockwise movement of member 29. Continued movement of member 29causes openings 40 to register with conical detent portions 39, at whichtime the detent portions snap down through the openings to releasably'retain housing member 29 and coil 15 in the Fig. l position. The coiland memberV 29 maybe removed for repairorreplacement purposes bymanually'rotating member 29 in a clockwise direction. Screwsf26` neednot be touched to remove members 29 and b15. c:

It will be noted that the ears and spring iin`gers1are equidistantlyspaced, and that the va'riousear's landspring fingers are identical inconstruction. As a resultfit' is possible to position any given earbeneath any given spring tinger soas to provide three diiferent angularposi- Y tions'of terminals 27 and 28. Thus, ear 31 could-be positionedbeneath'iinger 35 o r benea'thriinger 36." 1 f1, y

The angular adjustment of terminals 27 and 28 is advantageous inadapting the solenoid to diierent wiring arrangements and differentvalve designs. In one location it might be most desirable to have theterminals in their illustrated positions, and in another location itmight be desirable to have the terminals rotated through one hundredtwenty degrees (clockwise or counterclockwise). Correct positionrnentofthe terminals can reduce wiring costs by eliminating an undesiredlengthening of the wiring which might otherwise be required to 'curL thewiring around obstructions and over to aparticularly obstructedterminal. Correct positionment of. the, terminals can also reduce thetimerequired to installthe solenoids and valves.

I claim:

1. A solenoid. valve comprising a valve housing having a fiat exteriorface; a first passage extending inwardly of said face; an annularpassage concentric with said first passage and extending inwardly fromsaid face to define an annular sealing surface; a diaphragm extendingacross said. passages and having a, central opening therein inregistrywith the first passagerand` another opening therein in registry with theannular passage; a tubular guide` in axial registry with the centralopening and having an annular fiange overlying the peripheral edge ofthe diaphragm; an armature slidably positioned in said tubular guideVfor movements toward and away from the central opening to control exingmovement of the diaphragm into and out of sealing engagement with theannular sealing surface; a coil encircling the tubular guide foroperating the armature; a flat annular wall element carried on saidhousing exterior face and having two parallel fiat faces; said wallelement having one of said fiat faces positioned on the aforementionedflat valve housing face with the inner edge area thereof overlying theaforementioned annular flange; a fiat annular plate carried on the otherat face of the annular wall element; portions of said plate being cutaway and deected out of the plate plane to form a series ofcircumferentially spaced spring fingers; a cup-shaped housing overlyingthe coil and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced earsreleasably retained between the spring fingers and annular plate.

2. A solenoid valve comprising a valve housing having a flat exteriorface; a first passage extending inwardly of said face; an annularpassage concentric with said first passage and extending inwardly fromsaid face to define an annular sealing surface; a diaphragm extendingacross said passages and having a central opening therein in registrywith the first passage and another opening therein in registry with theannular passage; a tubular guide in axial registry with the centralopening and having an annular ange overlying the peripheral edge ofthediaphragm; an armature slidably positioned in said tubular guide formovements toward and away from the central opening to control exingmovement of the diaphragm into and out of sealing engagement with theannular sealing surface; a coil encircling the tubular guide foroperating the armature; a flat annular wall element having two parallelflat faces; said wall element having one of said flat faces positionedon the aforementioned flat valve housing face with the inner edge areathereof overlying the aforementioned annular flange; a flat annularplate positioned on'the other fiat face of the annular wall element;circumferentially spaced screws extending through the annular plate andannular wall element into the valve housing for securing the plate andwall element thereon; portions of said plate being cut away anddeflected out ofthe plate plane to form a series of circumferentiallyspaced spring fingers; a cup-shaped housing overlying the coil andhaving a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced ears releasably retainedbetween the spring fingers and annular plate.

3. A solenoid valve comprising a valve housing having a flat exteriorface; a first passage extending inwardly of said face; an annularpassage concentric with said first passage and extending inwardly from4said face to dene an annular sealing surface; a diaphragm extendingacross said passages and having a central opening therein in registrywith the first passage and another opening therein in registry with theannular passage; a tubular guide in axial registry with the centralopening and having an annular flange 'overlying the peripheral edge ofthe diaphragm; an armature slidably positioned in said tubular guide formovements tov/ard and away from the central opening to control fiexingmovement of the diaphragm into and out of sealing engagement with theannular` sealing surface; a coil encircling the tubular guide foroperating the armature; a mounting bracket carried by the valve housingand comprising a mounting wall portion extending angularly from adjacentsaid housing exterior face and an annular wall portion extending fromthe mounting wall portion; said annular wall portion having two parallelflat faces; one of said parallel faces being positioned on theaforementioned fiat valve housing face with the inner edge area thereofoverlying the aforementioned annular fange; a flat annular' platecarried on the other parallel face of the annular wall portion; por,-tions of said plate being cut away and deflected out of the plate planeto form a series of circumferentially spaced spring fingers; acup-shaped housing overlying the coil and having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced ears releasably retained between the springfingers and annular plate.

4. A solenoid valve comprising a valve housing having a fiat exteriorface; a first passage extending inwardly of said face; an annularpassage concentric with said first passage and extending inwardly fromsaid face to define an annular sealing surface; a diaphragm extendingacross said passages and having a central opening therein in registrywith the rst passage and anotheropening therein in registry with theannular passage; a tubular guide in axial registry with the centralopening and having an annular fiange overlying the peripheral edge ofthe diaphragm; an armature slidably positioned in said tubular guideformovements toward and away from the central openingto control flexingmovement of the diaphragm in to and out of sealing engagement with theannular sealing surface; a coil encircling the tubular guide foropcratingthe armature; a mounting bracket for the valve comprising amounting wall portion extending angularly from adjacent said housingexterior face and an annular wall portion extending from the mountingWall portion; said annular wall portion having two parallel fiat faces;one of. said parallel faces being positioned on the aforementioned flatvalve housing face with the inner edge area thereof overlyingtheaforementionedannular flange; a-at annular plate positioned on the otherparallel face. of the annular wall portion; circumferentially spacedscrews extending through the annular plate and annular wall element intothe valve housing for securing the plate and wall element thereon;portions of said plate being cut away and deflected out of the plateplane to form a series of circumferentially spaced spring fingers; acup-shaped housing overlying the coil and having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced ears releasably retained between the springngers and annular plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS150,342 Meyer Apr. 28, 1874 639,293 Ritter Dec. 19, 1899 1,137,129 GoldApr. 27, 1915 2,305,151 Fields Dec. l5, 1942 2,402,360 Bevins June 18,1946 2,693,930 Carter Nov. 9, 1954 2,761,470 Batts Sept.` 4, 19562,768,789 Frey Oct. `3l), 1956 UNITED ySTATES PATENT OFFICE jCERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION p Patent No., 2,946, 551 July 26,- 1960 JuliusWilliam Kovach Column 3A, line 7, for "particularly" (SEAL) Attest:ERNEST W- SWIDER Attesting Oicer ARTHUR W. CROCKER Acting Commissionerof Patents

